Hi! I baked. I decided to try the Salty Caramel Drenched Double Chocolate Loaf Cake that I saw over onHow Sweet It Is because it looks just so scrumptious!

Now, please keep in mind that one of my to-do list items for this blog is “Become an awesome baker of all sorts of sweet things.” BECOME. Not continue to be…but become. That’s important to remember.

So, the recipe called for a processor to be used, rather than a good old-fashioned stand mixer. I’ve only used my processor once before, and am really more of a mixer kind of gal, but I figured I should stick with the plan as it was laid out. SO, as soon as I remembered how to put the processor pieces together, I got to work pulling everything together. This was a lot of stuff.

There is something very satisfying, though, about turning the processor on and watching all that stuff get mushed together VERY QUICKLY. The noise totally freaks out the dogs, so they both come into the kitchen and look at me with great concern. Anyway, I got everything all mushed together (that’s a technical term) until I had a nice smooth(ish) batter.

That all seemed easy enough. I folded in my chocolate chips and then poured it in my pan, which I had dutifully buttered and floured, rather than just spraying with a non-stick spray, as I’m wont to do.

I stuck that in the oven, cleaned up a little, and then got to work on my caramel sauce. And here’s where it all goes wacky. I think what it boils down to (heh) is that I’m way too impatient. According to the recipe, I needed to let the sugar dissolve before I increased the heat and brought the mixture to a boil. I’m pretty sure I didn’t wait long enough for the sugar to properly dissolve. I’m not sure I really know what that looks like…I mean, it’s sugar mixed with water, and it certainly got less granular…but was it dissolved? Either way, I turned up the heat and got to boiling. I was swirling the pan…and watching it…and swirling…and waiting to get to the magical golden amber color so I could add my cream, vanilla, and salt. There was no golden amber. I kept swirling and watching…swirling and watching…and then I started worrying about scorching…so I went ahead and removed it from heat to add the other stuff. At that point, I was expecting it all to bubble up, all science-like…there was no bubbling. So I just went ahead, poured everything in and put it back on the heat to make sure it was all mixed and smooth. This is what I had:

That is NOT caramel. I mean, it tasted fine — just like a basic sugar glaze. I didn’t feel like trying it again (that’s the spirit!) so I set it aside and waited for the cake to finish. The cake seemed to turn out just fine:

A nice rise to it, split down the middle, just like I expected. I let everything cool for a few hours, then I went ahead and poked holes in the cake and poured my sugar glaze all over it. It tasted fine, really…but I know it was NOT the final result that I should have had. So, lesson learned, I guess — next time, wait for the golden amber!

I may have poured a bit too much of the glaze on the cake. It was kinda drenched, and very sweet. Still, a nice taste, so yay for not, like, creating a monstrosity. Go me! \o/

Be sure to get the full recipe (and pics of how it SHOULD go) over at How Sweet It Is!

To-do List

• Start a blog about all the things I want to do. (check!)
• Use this blog to share stuff I love in design, decor, and architecture.
• Be one of those cool chicks who finds awesome furniture/decor at flea markets and antique stores.
• Also be one of those cool chicks who does really cool refurbishing/repurposing of the stuff she finds.
• Become an awesome baker of all sorts of sweet things.
• Open an Etsy shop full of really cute things.
• Figure out what sort of really cute things I have the skills to make.
• Learn how to make really nice homemade candles and soaps.
• Get really good at taking perfect pics of the cute things I make.
• Be awesomely and creatively productive.